


Step of two

by Multi_Elle



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: About 4 seconds of Johnjae, Actor!Mark, Bromance, Coming Out, Dancer!Haechan, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, attempts at humor, but don't worry, even mark has trouble understanding it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:15:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23861410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multi_Elle/pseuds/Multi_Elle
Summary: "It's cool to meet you. I've seen a lot of your movies, I'm honored to be the one to teach you ballet"Mark wasn't a big fan of the way people treated him like royalty. Was this how two teenage boys greeted each other? But again they weren't regular teenage boys, he was a renowned actor and Haechan an exceptional dancer."Trust me, wait for our first actual class and you won't be honored," said Mark, trying to pass it as a joke but actually meaning it.------------In which Mark takes the main role in a movie about a classical dancer and ballet teacher Lee Donghyuck has to get him ready. The Gay™ ensues.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 22
Kudos: 157





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A few curse words will be thrown into the mix
> 
> Aside from that, this is child-friendly.
> 
> Like I would let my mom read this, so you're good
> 
> (Also last time I did ballet was around seven years ago, so don't sue me for inaccuracies ;-;)

A woman in a flashy-blue dress walked in under the crowd's cheers and applauses.

She flashed a huge smile, walking on her designer high-heels towards her desk.

" Hello viewers, spectators, and the world! Welcome back to the Neocity show! Canada, you know who our guest is tonight. You know it and yet, I'll never get tired of introducing him. Please, make some noise for award-winning movie star Mark Lee!!! "

The curtains leading to the main set opened , revealing a man in his twenties, equally well-dressed, a bit awkward in his own shoes but in the most gorgeous, endearing way.

He waved at the audience who went absolute bonkers. Nothing astonishing for such a superstar. He took pride in his achievements, even though he kept the humility of keeping on giving his best for each of his performances. Combine that, his charming personality and striking looks, and you get the perfect modern heartthrob.

He sat on the velvety red couch, in front of the presenter's desk.

" Marcia thank you so much for having me tonight. I'm so happy to be back in my home country, even more to be starring in a show here so thank you for this opportunity"

The host faked a gasp before letting out a laugh. Very theatrical, but again this was still a late-night show. One that Mark used to watch when he was a kid. He could barely believe he actually managed to make it there.

" Oh Mark, trust me we're all happy to have you. Isn't that right?"  
More cheers were heard in the audience, making Mark let a small embarassed laugh. He'd never get used to that.

"Let's get to our main chronic today. So it's big news that you are going to be starring in Kim Doyoung's new movie, Pas de deux. Would you mind talking a bit about that?"

" I wouldn't mind doing anything if you were the one asking, Marcia."  
She faked a second gasp, turning to the audience. "I'm going to keep that in mind."

Laughter ensued. She was good at was she was doing, and so was Mark. Media, showbiz, you could actually develop skills for entertainment and they were both at the top of their game.

" Pas de deux is a movie that traces the story of a young man who decides to join the opera as a ballet dancer. It's the tale of his success, mainly, and how he balances such a strict lifestyle with friends and family. One could think the title, Pas de deux which refers to a dance move and literally translates to 'step of two' in English, is about this man and a woman but it's actually more about balancing a passion and who you are as an individual. Where do you draw the line as how much you're ready to give in order to fulfill your dream "

Shit, he was rambling. That was a bit habit of his, which didn't show when he was reciting some lines but came back as soon as he stepped on a TV set.  
If the host was eyeing him the crowd didn't seem to mind at all, absorbing his every word.

" Would you say it is kind of a modern Billy Eliott movie?"

" Yes and no, yes in the way that Producer Kim chose a male character to talk about gender roles and being a man in the ballet community, no in the way that Billie Eliott is a lot about the proletariat and how to get out of your social class."

" Have you worked with Kim Doyoung before? And why the choice of a Korean producer?"

Interviews were weird because your interlocutor wasn't listening to you, the public was. Marcia Shamall probably didn't have the least interest in him or his career, and that was fair enough she was doing her job as professionally as possible, but it sure made the conversation a little bit weird.

" I haven't actually, but I am a fan of his films. I think he's got the eye to find the right point of you, the right angle for the story to be told and I'm sure this movie will be very interesting in that way. And I chose to star in a Korean movie for several reasons, firstly to connect back with my Korean roots which I think I've neglected after so many years working for Hollywood, secondly to promote Korean cinema which I feel like it has this...particular ambiance that I want to share with my fans. "

More cheers. Good sign, that meant he told the right thing. There was no such thing as a wrong or cheesy declaration as long as the fans were happy, that was his agent's first rule.

" As the male lead, is there some special training you need to undergo?"

Oh man, yes there was.

" I'm playing the role of a ballet dancer so of course, I need to learn how to dance. A lot of the big dance scenes will be played by a stuntman, but I personally asked to do most of the dancing to keep some authenticity, like some passion. For now, I'm just exercising and dieting in order to have a body as slender as possible, and I will start taking dancing lessons in about a week."

" That's really great! Can we give a round of applause for Mark Lee?"

Oh boy was the crowd ready to give not one, nor two, but three rounds of applause for the actor.

Then the camera focused back on Mrs. Shamall, and because the questions about his upcoming movie were over, Mark knew what had to be upcoming.  
The gossip.

" So, Mark, I've heard rumors of some feud between you and model Johnny Seo. Is everything okay between you guys?"

Oh come on, we know this is not what you want to talk about. This was just some made-up drama that was used as a filler before she could talk about the elephant in the room.

" Rumors will stay rumors, Marcia. Johnny is a brother to me, and everything is alright. He'll support me in everything I do, and I one-hundred-percent support him as well."

" I'm happy to know you two are doing well, then. But can we say that about all of your relationships?"

Ah, there we go. Mark shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He loved talking with his public, interacting with his fans but he could seriously do without the attached relationship drama.  
He didn't answer, he knew he didn't have to. 

" Two years ago we learned that you and co-star Leah Dover were in a relationship, a couple that effortlessly rose to popularity in the first few months of its existence. But sources have been reporting that thing haven't been going for the best lately..."

'Sources', more like paparazzi that followed the both of them like their shadows!  
It was no surprise, though. Leah was a very nice girl but their relationship...it's just wasn't...love, and Mark felt so lame for not being able to make it work.

""Yes Marcia, unfortunately we broke up last week by a joint agreement.

The audience gasped, Mark swore some girl shouted "date me instead oppa!" making a bit of his soul dissolve into the void.

" You guys broke up??! What heartbreaking news!! How are you holding up?"

Good question Mrs. Shamall, good question.

" I'm doing fine, Marcia. Breaking out of your first long-term relationship is hard but I'm only 20, and life is ahead of me. I'm still on good terms with Leah, and I hope our fans won't be sad."

The audience stirred up again, several people shouting that it was okay, that as long as he was happy they were cool with his choices.  
A bit weird, but also a bit cute. Mark could roll with that.

As if the previous conversation didn't happen Marcia turned back to the camera, her commercial smile back on.

" And that concludes our first segment of the evening. Please stay tuned to hear more from Mark Lee on the Neocity show!"


	2. Chapter 2

He knew he came here for work, but arriving at the airport of Incheon felt like holidays.

Between movie gigs, award shows and interviews he hadn't set foot in South Korea in what felt like decades.

He was quick to find Johnny waiting for him in the hall in front of a crowd of fans, immediately opening his arms to his friend upon his arrival.

His "I missed you, dude" pretty much summarized their situation of only talking to each other via Skype and twitter updates for months.

He informed him he would be staying at a hotel near the filming studios, in the south of Seoul. Nothing out of his comfort zone, Mark was thankful for that.

He immediately asked for the lead role when he heard about this movie's prompt, but he had to admit learning how to dance scared him. One does not simply become a ballerina in a year. He was not starting from zero, he was already rather athletic and could dance, not classical dancing but that meant he was not going to be totally out of rhythm. He still dreaded for the start of his training and kind of felt sorry for whoever was going to be his teacher. They had a rough journey ahead of them.

He met the producer when he showed at the filming location the next day. The shooting wouldn't start for a few months, but they still had to be there to get their lines, indication, meet the staff, etc.

Kim Doyoung was of these people that emanated intelligence. Far from the commercial chatter some like Marcia Shamall would put up, he was a man of a few, precise and carefully chosen words. Who had to be where, who had to do what, and by when. He was respected, not feared, and admired, not idolized. Upon meeting him Mark already had the deepest respect for this man.

"Mr. Lee, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Call me Mark. A pleasure to meet you too."

He smiled faintly, gesturing him to some sort of a conference room.

" The movie cast is waiting for us. I'm going to give out the lines and start discussing everything regarding staging and your characters. Please follow me."

Mark obliged, stepping into the room and taking a chair between two people he didn't know who looked both happy and intimidated to be here. They had to be very young, even younger than Mark. Probably not even eighteen yet.

The meeting was...something. The directives and indication the producer gave out were dense, and Mark's character had an even denser amount of line. This was going to be a great time to test out his mnemonic abilities.

The subject of dancing wasn't directly talked about until the end of the meeting when Doyoung held him back.

" I found someone who I believe will be a great teacher, both for his abilities and his closeness with the character you are playing. His name is Lee Donghyuck, he goes by Haechan. I don't know why. Never bothered to ask. Now if you would follow me, the dancing studios are only a few hundred meters away, I can drive you".

Mark agreed and jumped in the car, half-dozing off from both the tiring day they just had and the massive jet-lag he was still experiencing.

Doyoung was a man of his word, and the ride took at most five minutes - which made Mark think that they could have gone there by foot, but he chose not to make note of it because of how tired he was. 

They got into a nice building, white hallways and wooden planks with some music coming from one of the rooms, precisely the one Doyoung went to.

It was a big spacious room, a stereo in a corner, some bars in the middle of the room and huge mirrors all over a wall. A boy was dancing there, a hand on one of the bar and the other impossibly high in the air.

Was Mark supposed to be able to do that?!

He stopped when he heard Doyoung knocking on the glass door and immediately went to stop the music, not struggling in the slightest bit despite the pointe shoes he was wearing.

" Mark this is Haechan, your dance instructor for Pas de deux. Mark this is Haechan, the dancer we chose to teach you ballet. I have other meetings to attend so I will be back to pick you up in an hour, in the meantime please get to know each other and I believe Haechan already got over what he needed to teach you so I'll live you to it, work well children". he said in a breath.

A movie superstar Mark wasn't used to being called 'children', but he sincerely didn't mind. It suit his new teacher as well, the guy had to be around his age. 

The moment Doyoung left the room the dancer bowed, with a grace Mark just couldn't not notice.

"It's cool to meet you. I've seen a lot of your movies, I'm honored to be the one to teach you ballet"

Mark immediately made him stand up. He wasn't a big fan of the way people treated him like royalty. Was this how two teenage boys greeted each other? But again they weren't regular teenage boys, he was a renowned actor and Haechan an exceptional dancer.

"Trust me, wait for our first actual class and you won't be honored," said Mark, trying to pass it as a joke but actually meaning it.  
The boy only laughed, gesturing him to sit on the floor.

"Will you be mad if I take my pointes off? They're killing me" he said already untying the ribbons.

"Not at all. Will I have to wear shoes like those?"  
His question made the other laugh again. He was a cheery one.

"Eventually yes, but not for now. You'll wear regular ballet shoes, that are like some...reinforced socks?"

To be fair that sounded reassuring. Mark would break his ankle if he wore one of those things right now. He'd probably break his ankle at some point anyway.

More often than not, rules of politeness got overruled by his overwhelming sense of curiosity, which drove him to ask his dance instructor about a billion questions. Doyoung told them to get to know each other, after all.

"Are you part of the National Ballet?" The other looked a bit hurt and for a second Mark wondered if he had asked something wrong, but Haechan's smile came back pretty fast.

"No, they probably tried to get you someone from there but they are too strict and too busy. I'm just a former ballet student, have been teaching for a year"

"How old are you?" Was that a rude thing to ask? Haechan didn't seem to mind.

" Nineteen. I'm a year younger than you".

That was another weird thing, with popularity. Strangers knew everything about you, and you know nothing about them. This Haechan guy had done a great job not acting differently because Mark was famous so far, but a few things still slipped. But to be fair, his persistence to keep this conversation as normal and laid-back as possible was very appreciated.

"And you're already a dancer at that age?"

" That's far from uncommon. Often, ballet corps recruit you or can be joined when you are still a young teen. I'm like...a grandpa on the classical dancing scale. Okay, maybe that was a bit dramatic. Let's say I'm in my forties."

Truth to be told in that dimension, ballet was not far from acting. You trained and got recruited by an agent during your teens, lived your golden years in your twenties and early thirties, and then only the very famous and very lucky remained. And even then, it wasn't the same.

" When did you start ballet?"

Haechan fell deep in thoughts, counting back the years. "I started when I was eight, so it's been about eleven years."

So eleven years was a normal training time from someone who aspired to join ballet corps...he'd have to catch up on eleven years for his role? He knew that wasn't even the goal, too unrealistic, but still. This was going to be tough.

"So...How screwed am I?" he said, very serious in comparison to the dancer who was laughing again.

"In all honesty? Pretty damn screwed. Do you know about the five positions in classical dancing?"

"...No?"  
He swore Haechan almost looked offended. "You've taken the lead role in a movie about a ballet dancer without the most basic of knowledge?! Come on, get up!!"

Mark wanted to argue that he was tired so bad, but he ended up agreeing as the other probably was energetic enough for the both of them.

" Okay, so the posture in ballet includes an arched back, slightly lifted head, and feet that are always pointing outwards. That's seriously so important, I can't stress this enough. Oh, and you have to point your feet like...always"

And you have to straighten your legs, and you have to adopt a specific angle with your wrists, and you have to do a specific gesture with your fingers, and so on and so on. How could Haechan make this seem so effortless?

"That's great! You now have the level of a three years old!" said Haechan, a smirk plastered on his lips.

" Don't laugh at me! I'd like to see you try and learn ten pages of lines in one evening."  
The other raised in hands in surrender.

" At least I didn't volunteer to play as an actor!"

He had to have the last word, didn't he? Fine, he could let him win this round.

...Win this round? What was up with him. Was he like, five? They were two adults supposed to work together goddamnit, not goof around!

"Okay, now that you know the absolute bases, how flexible are you?"

"I'm not sure".

Haechan nodded before falling into splits without batting an eye, the gesture seemingly effort and pain-less.  
Mark's eyes widened. He surely wasn't THAT flexible.

He tried to get into splits as well but only manage to look as if he had fallen while proposing which wasn't a cute look.  
Haechan had the niceness not to make fun of it, which was greatly appreciated.

Mark thanked heavens when Doyoung knocked on the door again, meaning that it was time to go.

They both collected themselves off the ground, Haechan bowing with grace and Mark bowing with the energy of a 90 years old grandpa who just finished a marathon, before sprinting out of the dance studio.

"Tired already?" asked the producer.

" No, not at all".

"Great. Because your first lesson is scheduled at nine tomorrow. Good night, Mark".

He was so screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (′ʘ⌄ʘ‵) Doyoung 'let Mark rest' challenge: failed


	3. Chapter 3

His fans found him thousand of qualities that came out of seemingly nowhere, but they all missed his actual principal one.

Mark was very perseverant and committed.

The first few classes were hell. Too much information, he felt like his ankles were going to burst and he always ended up extremely sore and sweaty. Haechan was trying his best to go step by step but let's face it, the amount of work Mark had to put into this was Herculean and it was time for efficiency, not softness.

Despite his goofy and sarcastic nature, Haechan held a discipline Mark could all but appreciate.

He understood why this boy was the one Doyoung had picked. He was very similar to the character Mark would have to play, a young male ballerina, committed to his passion, ambitious and dreaming of something bigger. Mark didn't dare to ask him about this, because he felt like the last time he did he touched a sensible point. So he just avoided that.

They didn't have much time to converse anyway, aside from a few exceptions.

The day Mark put on pointe shoes for the first time, about four months in, was a perfect example.

Usually their sessions were kind of rigid. Put your leg up and down, up and down, raise your arm above your head, no with more grace!

But this was just...stupidly funny. He resembled a baby giraffe that was learning how to walk.

Haechan spent about ten minutes explaining to him how to tie the shoe before raising up and offering him his arm.

"You can stand up now, don't go on pointe just now keep your feet flat. Get used to the shoe".

Easy to say!  
Those were so weird. Not bad looking, black, silky shoes, but not made for feet. Made for torture, probably.

" Great. Now stand on your toes, slowly don't go around breaking your ankle just yet".

Mark slowly rose to his toes, not having any time to celebrate managing to do it before falling over, luckily caught by Haechan who tried to conceal his laughter.

" We're going to have to work on that" he had said, his voice betraying his giggles.

"Haechan?" he asked.

"Yes?"

" Dude, I have like so much respect for you" yes, he still wished he had more social filters. But he really meant it.

Haechan flapped his imaginary hair, getting on pointe as well and doing a pirouette.

" The great Mark Lee has respect for me! I can now die in peace"

Mark rolled his eyes.

" Die all you want but like after I'm able to dance? "

Haechan sighed at that, dropping on the floor.

"Than I'm going to live forever".

Mark chose not to answer - not having attention probably was what would piss the other male off the most - before dropping back to the floor as well, resisting the urge to throw the shoes off.

He looked at his dance tutor a bit, a question blooming in his mind.

"What do you think of the movie? You read the script, didn't you?" he asked.

Haechan nodded his head. "I did. Well...I think the whole 'what are you ready to do' part of it is absolutely great. You just saw how hard it was to dance with pointe, try imagining the hours of work it took me or any professional dancer to get to this level. And that only pointe! Though I think it still is a bit...idealistic. He joins a national ballet corps like it's no big deal". His tone seemed unusually down with this last sentence, and Mark couldn't help but ask further questions.

" Is it about you not joining it? But you're amazing! If you retry next year you'll make it in, for sure!"

Haechan shook his head. "- I used to be in, well in training at least, but it isn't only about how good you are. It about if you fit in, it's about being indistinguishable from the other. That's how you create a uniform ballet corps. I got..." he marked a stop, his voice breaking a little. It was weird, seeing this boy who was so cheerful open up about his insecurities. " I got kicked out because my skin was too dark and I was too fat".

He seemed so...defeated. Actually, something between defeated and ashamed. And Mark hated that.  
But the truth was, he didn't know what to answer to that. It happened, that he got rejected for a role because he didn't fit the description. But now because he was famous he could always manage, his presence here today only being further proof of that. But Haechan...he had one shot and he blew it, for something that wasn't even his fault.

" Fuck that!" was far from the sensible yet caring answer Mark wanted to give his friend (friend? Teacher? Whatever), but it was close enough. 

" That's harsh, right? But that was the reality of it. They kick you out for anything. This, as in mean teaching dance to someone as famous as you, probably is going to be the peak of my career. It's okay, I came around that idea. But it still kinda sucks. "

They sat in silence, the training long forgotten. Mark's feet were thankful for that.

"Hey Hyuck?"

"Hmm"

" Could you show me the dance I'll have to do for the movie? "

The other perked up, a slightly confused look on his face. " Mark you can barely stand with those shoes, you can't do the dance just yet. Or you can if you like have a death wish. "

Mark snickered "I don't want to learn it, I just want to see you doing it".

He couldn't exactly read the emotions that passed through Heachan's mind, but in the end, confusion won the fight.

"Mark...You know what the title of the movie means, right?"

" 'Step of two'?"

" Exactly. Step of TWO. Not step of one. You have a female counterpart for this dance in the movie. I can't do it alone". To be fair, Mark had no idea what a pas de deux was. It probably was something hard and painful.

" Okay, then dance with like...an imaginary partner". That sounded like a good plan in his mind, but Donghyuck was now staring at him as if he grew a horn and got pink skin.

"I...I guess so".

He stood up and went to put some music on. Mark always had a liking for classical music but Donghyuck brought it to another level. He danced on the music as if it was a tangible thing. Mark knew that even with all the practice in the world he could never achieve that. It was not skill, it was not even talent, it was passion. The same passion Mark put into his acting.

He had to admit, it was amusing seeing Donghyuck mimicking to lift an imaginary ballerina in the air, menacing to crack up each time he did so but never slipping out of the focus he always had when he danced.

And it was just...majestuous.

Mark didn't know if he was going to be able to depict that in his movie.  
But he knew that starting from now he would work twice as hard, to be able to convey that passion and grace, to live up to his role.

(And somewhere, deep down, to prove the National Ballet that Haechan was an exceptional dancer and teacher, and to make them regret letting him go.).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (☆^ー^☆) One comment equals one cookie.
> 
> (Idk what I'm saying either, quarantine is getting to me)


	4. Chapter 4

In Mark's language, "training harder" meant "training harder and out of his class with Haechan, including in the middle of the night because he had to do his job right and live up to his fans, the staff's and his dance teacher's expectations".

While it left him completely exhausted - especially since he had started shooting Pas de deux by now - it paid off. He could split (from one leg, the other was still a work in progress), he could do basic moves with pointe and could make some simple choreographies look decent.

Haechan told him it was great - but he wasn't objective, he had a very GenZ tendency to find everything great but himself- and it only made him practice harder. He couldn't let him down.

Usually during shootings, no matter how challenging they could be, he felt a rush of adrenaline, this burning desire to do better and better and to go forward.

Not this time...Something was off. Something was off and he couldn't pinpoint what, and that was drawing him mad. He felt hollow.

Maybe he missed his family. Maybe he missed Canada. Hell, maybe he even missed Leah for all he knew!

He wanted to talk about it to someone, but Johnny was working, he didn't want to bother his parents, his relationship with Doyoung was purely professional and Haechan...well, he suspected Haechan to be part of the problem.

It should have been the same as with Doyoung, their relationship should have been completely professional. But he couldn't deny that it wasn't, and he didn't know how to feel about that.

He pushed his thoughts away, as he placed a hand on the bar and try lifting his legs without looking as if he was going to be toppling over, which let's be real, was a possibility.

He repeated the move again, again and again until he was satisfied, then parted from the bar and started to repeat the move but without any help, and then while standing on his toes.

He almost fell down when he heard the door open, immediately freezing on his spot. Technically he wasn't doing anything illegal by coming here, he had the keys, but it could be hard to explain why he was practicing ballet at 2 AM. Especially since the person who had just walked in was Lee Donghyuck who looked like he wasn't going to buy whatever bullshit explanation Mark was going to give him.

"What...what are you doing here?" was what came out of his mouth instead.

Haechan took his coat off and dropped it on the floor, sitting against a mirror.

"Do you think I'm dumb? Mark, it's not hard to figure out you've been training during nighttime."

Mark bit his lip, trying to find the right words to tame in. But sometimes, the simpler the better.

" I'm sorry. Please don't be angry at me". he apologized.

Haechan rolled his eyes, crossing his arms on his chest. "Angry? I'm not angry! I'm...I'm concerned! Your body isn't used to classical dancing, and you need proper rest. Lately when you step into this room it's always with your script on hand, and you pull it out the second our session is over. Between that and dancing at night, when the hell do you sleep?"

Mark knew answering 'between 4 and 7 AM' was not going to help. Instead, he let out "if you know then why are you here" which probably sounded a bit colder than he intended.

" I'm not leaving until you do " he said, not moving an inch. He was stubborn.

" Haechan I'll feel guilty if you don't get proper rest because of me."

His dance instructor nodded. "I know. That's exactly why I'm doing this."

Emotional blackmailing. That was rich.

He sighed before getting back into position, trying to focus, which was a bit hard with a sleepy Haechan staring at him from across the room. Which was even weirder was that he was in regular attire, not dance clothes. Though Mark had nothing against his very fitted shirt and leggings, he had to say he liked the hoodie look as well- okay what was wrong with him. Focus.

He got back on his toes, now attempting pirouettes - way harder than they appeared to be.

He still watched Hyuck from the corner of his eyes, but still trying to maintain his focus, and being distracted, and-

Pain shot through his whole being.

It took him a good minute to understand he was now on the floor, clutching onto his right foot, Haechan running to him with a worried face.

" Mark? Mark what's wrong??" he asked, sounding more worried than Mark ever thought he would hear him.

He didn't answer, still fighting the pain, trying to get back up but failing.

He heard the sound of dialing. Haechan probably called 911, honestly, Mark wished he did. Everything just felt so wrong, so painful.

He more-or-less consciously reached for Hyuck's hand, which squeezed his own with worry. That felt good. This was a life-line.

The ambulance was quick to arrive, the diagnosis quick to be made.

Mark had broken his ankle.

He and Haechan were driven to the nearest hospital, the news spreading fast that the famous Mark Lee was staying there.

He must have fallen asleep from the painkillers they gave him because when he came back to his senses it was morning and Haechan was still there, passed-out in an armchair. His agent, Jung Jaehyung, Doyoung and Johnny were here as well, talking with a muffled voice to not wake the young dancer up.

"Hey guys"

They immediately interrupted their conversation and ran up to him, asking with worry if he was okay or needed anything.

"I'm fine" he said, trying not to think about the cast that was now over his right ankle. 

He swore he could see the three men released a breath. Yes, he could still shoot the movie.

" Lee Donghyuck called me", said Doyoung, "and I called your agent and your friend"

Jaehyun nodded before taking over " I have warned your parents, you have a Skype call planned at 2 this afternoon. I reassured them, don't worry. Glad you're doing okay"

" He scared me dude! Producer Kim just dialed me in the middle of the night to tell me my best friend was in the hospital like that's crazy!" said Johhny who looked like he lacked sleep and was high on caffeine.

" Everyone, it's just an ankle. I'm fine. It hurt a lot but it's fine now I have medication."

" But you can't dance or act" said Doyoung.

Mark pressed his lips into a thin line. Even if he healed in time for them to finish shooting the movie, he won't be able to practice for at least a month.

" Please producer Kim, give me a shot. I think I'm capable of doing it. I'll learn all of my lines while I'm here and I'll ask Donghyuck to teach me the theory of the choreo and I'll practice as soon as I can. Please, give me a shot".

Doyoung shot a look at him, then at the sleeping dance, and sighed.

" I'm going to piss a lot of people by doing this but I can extend the shooting time by two months. But Mark, this better be the best performance of the century". he reluctantly conceded.

Even though he was in a hospital bed with a leg in a cast, Mark felt like he was flying.

He was gonna do this.  
His, Haechan's, and every member of the crew and staff's efforts wouldn't be rendered meaningless because of one mistake of his.  
This was his ultimate shot at proving himself.  
And he wasn't gonna blow it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In conclusion, overworking yourself won't lead to better results.
> 
> So please, take a break, continue reading fanfictions, chug some water and you're good to go!
> 
> Oh and also I'm terribly sorry for my english mistakes, I'm a non-native speaker and I tend to write quite fast (and have ADHD so I think of other stuff at the same time, long story) so I'll often leave homophones or forget some 's' or stuff like that ;-;


	5. Chapter 5

" Two steps to the right, one step to the left, pas chassé and entrechat."

"Pas chassé, grand battement and entrechat. You're almost there".

This was more or less what their dance sessions looked like now. Him sitting up on his bed, the script discarded on his bedside table and moving his arms around, Haechan on a chair nearby explaining the choreography to him and drawing little stick figures of every step he'd have to be able to perform on a notebook.

It was weird, seeing him not dancing. Well, he did do a few steps to explain them to Mark but that was about it.

Through everything, he did his maximum to be a good student. For his performance, of course. Not to like...impress Haechan. Nope. Even if he wanted to, he was too bad at this anyways.

It probably was a comical sight, the actor wiggling on his bed and his teacher basically laughing at him while talking about technical steps names in french because of course, they were in French, it couldn't just be like...simple!

They were interrupted in their class by a knocking on the door, and Johnny's head poked into the room.

" Ah sorry, am I coming at a bad time? I'd like to have a word with Mark " he said.

Haechan smiled and started collecting his stuff. " It's alright, I think we should stop for today or his brain will start to melt. See you tomorrow, Mark!" he said while standing up and sending him a small wave.

Mark waved back with a smile and the door shut when he went out of the room.

Johnny went to take his seat almost immediately.

" Is everything alright? " asked Mark, seeing how his best friend was in a weird, almost ecstatic mood.

He nodded " I'm fine, but are you?"

Mark appeared confused. "You mean as in right now or on a deeper like philosophical level?"

Johnny rolled his eyes before going on. " I- How is the movie going so far?"

He furrowed his brows. Why the hell would he ask that now? " What we already filmed is going into post-prod and everything else is rehearsed and prepared, we'll just have to shoot the remaining scenes including the dance scene which could hopefully be done in only one month. "

Johnny nodded, and though he had the analysis capacities of a teapot, Mark knew that's not really what he was meaning to ask.

" About the dancing, how is it going?" he asked.

The dancing? Well, it was kind of in standby right now.

" I'm not...doing much? Learning moves and talking with Haechan mainly"

Johnny nodded again. " Dude can you get to the point?" asked Mark.

His friend smiled and lowered his gaze. "Yeah sorry, that was my attempt at being subtle. My real question is: are you and that Haechan guy dating?"

Mark froze, a confused expression on his face. Dating? Why would he get this idea? They were not dating they were men!! Sure, men who acted more couple-y than he and Leah ever did, kisses apart, but still!

" What? No! I'm straight and he's like...my dance teacher!"

Johnny gave him a side look before sighing. "I know you've probably got a lot on your mind right now, but I think it would be worth it for you to give it a thought. You're obsessed with this dude, Mark. Seriously, it's the first time the thing you're focusing on the most isn't your acting!"

Well yeah, it was dancing but it was for his role and to make Haechan proud and- oh.

He must seriously have looked like a fish out of the water at the moment, not really knowing how to process this conversation.

" Do you think I like him?"

Johnny scoffed. " I don't know, you tell me."

Was it more than wanting to impress him? Was it more than wanting to do his job right? Was it more than wanting to see him smile and be proud of one of his own achievements and wanting to keep the boy's attention on him to continue to be the source of his blinding smiles?

" Shit I like him "

" Dude what a surprise, really".  
He chose to ignore the sarcasm in Johnny's voice, not really 'chose' but 'was forced to' when anxiety started pooling into his stomach.

" No no no Johnny this is not okay! People are going to bash me for this. Hell, people will bash him for this!!"

Johnny put a soothing hand on his shoulder, stopping him from panicking further.

" Mark people are going to bash you whatever you do" he said

"Thanks, I feel so much better "

" No but really! You should not care, Mark. And you don't have to go and scream it in the streets. If you ever date people will find out, yes, and this day I and Jaehyun will be behind you to support and shield you. This is okay, Mark."

He gulped down, not entirely convinced but still a bit less anxious now.

" Do you think he likes me?"

He swore he heard Johnny choke on his spit.

" I think everyone knows he likes you, but you."

Mark wasn't sure how to feel about that.

" Does that make me gay?" he asked, not that Johnny was some LGBT+ guru but he had dated a guy once so he probably was more on board with that than Mark.

His friend simply shrugged again. " Not necessarily. Do you like men? "

Did he like men? He liked Haechan. He liked Haechan! Gosh, it was so stupid but this simple thought made him so happy. Like yes, of course this was his 'problem'. Of course he liked Haechan! How could he have been that blind-

He must have been smiling like an idiot because Johnny let out "I'll take that as a yes. Do you like women?"

Did he like women? He didn't like his ex Leah, not like that at least. Had he ever liked a woman?

"...No I don't " he muttered.

" Than yes, you're gay. Or not, I mean who cares. If you care that's cool you know, but if you don't that's cool too". uttered Johnny.

He put a hand on Mark's shoulder again, patting him.

" In summary, you do you. And you do Haechan, with protection."

(Long story cut short, he wasn't able to avoid the pillow that came flying in his direction and ended up leaving the room with a nosebleed).

Mark just laid there, on his pillow-less hospital bed, staring at the ceiling.

He felt as if he was reliving every moment of his life with the new perspective that he had liked men all along. And it just...made sense, and everything felt like it was ten times more beautiful. Especially the moment he had with Donghyuck and his pretty and passionate everything.

\- Fuck I'm in love with him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♫꒰･‿･๑꒱ ( I totally want to qualify as an LGBT+ guru ) (Johnny teach me your ways)


	6. Chapter 6

The lights turned on, englobing the stage in a soft blue light.

The man and his partner slowly raised from the ground with soft moves of the arms and of the neck, as gracious as they could manage. The light hit the speckles of gold that were spread on their faces as the dance got more energetic made them shine in a golden halo, reflecting on their white clothes, a simple tutu for the woman, a white shirt and black silk pants for the woman.

Classical dancing attires.

They looked out of place in the scene, in the middle of a ballet corps of dancers in fancy costumes, every colour present and hurting the viewer's eyes, contrasting with the utter grace and simplicity of the couple in the middle.

They were now executing a perfect pas de deux, built on pirouettes and soft lunges, built on the feelings of purity and nobleness that emitted from the dance.

The scene cut to the two protagonists sitting against a mirror, sweaty and tired.

"Dance is more than a sport, more than an art. It's a war, and I have to make sure I keep winning."

It cut back to the two dancers who were now following a faster rythme, arabesque and jetés as their guests of honnor.

The woman's voice could be heard. " If it's a war, who is it that you are fighting against? "

The first porté. A figure in which the male dancer lifts the female in the air as if she was a bag of feathers.

The scene cut back to the man's smirk, not a sarcastic smirk. A daring one.  
" Me ."

Second porté. He grabbed the woman by the waist, raising her all the way up to above his head.

The music stopped, the choreography had ended, the audience cheered. But the glint, the fire that was in the dancer's eyes wasn't dying. The battle wasn't over.

The curtains closed, the man let the woman down, not tearing his gaze from her.

" And what's the issue of this war, huh?"

He smiled again, with that specific smirk of his.

" I always win".

The background turned black as the credits started rolling on the screen. As soon as the lights went on again, the audience broke in cheers and congratulations, Mark's cheeks heating up.  
No matter how many movies he would star in he'd never grow tired of presenting them for the first time.

The host came back on the main stage, clapping as well.

" This was Pas de Deux, Kim Doyoung's latest movie starring Mark Lee and Somin Kim in the lead roles! Please give them a round of applauses!" he toned

The audience happily obliged and Mark stood up alongside the Producer, his co-star and several important filming crew members, bowing slightly under the praises. They had done it, they released the movie in time despite everything. Mark had never been more proud.

" Now, it is time for our jury to deliberate. Please allow them a few moments. "

Mark's palms turned sweaty. He had won this award before, only this time it was different. This time, he had someone he wanted to bring the prize to.

The host got back again, a couple enveloppes in his hands and a serious face on.

" Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment you all have been waiting for. The winner of the "best producer" category of this year is..." He got a paper out of the first enveloppe, reading it then starring at the crowd with a mischievious look.

" Kim Doyoung!!" 

The crowd- including Mark, this time, cheered again while the producer kept his usual contenance and modesty. But Mark couldn't miss the sly smile on his face, and it made his heart burst with happiness as his producer went on stage to give a speech. Concise, sweet, efficient, nothing short than what was awaited of him.

The host opened another enveloppe. " The winner of the "best female performance" category of this year is...Leah Dover!!"

Mark heard a slight grown from his co-star on his left, and he went t comfort her. She was a rookie, even younger than him and a great actress. She'd collect awards in a few years. Plus, even though they drifted appart he was happy for Leah.

A third enveloppe was opened, and Mark swore he could hear his heart beat.

" The winner of the "best male performance" of the year is...Mark Lee!!"

He could have bursted right here and now. Not bursted in tears, just straight-up exploded from happiness and the relief he felt. He did it! He actually did it!!

He didn't remember walking up to the stage, or the host handing him his award. It was like he was in a dream. He only came back to his senses when he got closer to the microphone.

" I uh..Hello, wow thank you so much!! This means the world to me because of the work I put in this role and the efforts everyone put to support me, even through my ankle injury. I want to thank my Producer, co-star and the staff members for being essential parts of this amazing movie without who nothing would have been possible, to my agent and my best friend for putting up with me and supporting me throughout this experience...".

Here goes nothing. " And I want to give a special mention to Lee Donghyuck, the amazing person who taught me dancing and gave me a new view both on the role and on myself"

The crowd erupted in cheers - again -, but Mark didn't care. He wanted to hear the opinion of one and only one person, that his eyes couldn't pinpoint in the assistance.

The remaining of the ceremony felt like it went on forever and went they were finally dismissed Mark excused himself from the press for a moment and run out, looking for the small frame of his dance teacher.

Turned out he didn't need to as he felt a pair of arms close around his shoulders, and a head press on the crook of his neck.

" You won! That's...that's so amazing" he said, his voice trembling a bit.

Mark turned around, making sure to keep a tan hand on his own, surprised to see Haechan's brown eyes so glassy.

" Are you crying? "

" Shut up I'm not crying, you are"

Haechan definitely was crying, which furthered the urge Mark had to engulf him into an actual hug. The other reciprocated it as soon as he could, clutching onto his back.

" I'm so proud of you " murmured Haechan in his ear, and Mark felt like turning into jelly. Signs were going off in his head with 'HE'S PROUD OF ME THIS IS NOT A DRILL' written in big red capital letters.

He tried to play it cool as they parted, drying the dancer's tears with his thumb, trying to ignore the fact that he was on the verge of crying himself.

" You look good in a tuxedo" he said.�  
Haechan faked a gasp. " I look good in everything, mind you."

" So you don't want me complimenting you?"

He saw Haechan's play shatter for a second and oh, how he would tease the latter for it.

" I'm not saying I'm opposed to it". he muttered.

Mark smiled and they stared at each other in silence, half-happy half-awkward.

" Sooo" started Haechan hesitantly, "since the movie is long over I guess..I guess I have no reason to stay around you do I?"

Mark smirked, getting a step closer to the dancer, finding hope in the fact that he didn't take a step back. "Will I have to find a reason to make you stay?"

Haechan reciprocated his smile, his gaze falling on the older's lips. " Yes please"�  
That was all it took him for Mark to put his lips on top of his, looking composed but feeling like he just crumbled at the other's feet. Haechan gave in in seconds, throwing his hands around Mark's neck, not letting go. Mark had kissed people before, yet it came as a surprised how good the feeing of Haechan's lips on his was. It was...right. He wanted to give in, he wanted to feel more, Haechan's tongue on his, his hands in his hair.

" And that, kids ,is a perfect example of how to get mononucleosis".

They immediately parted, jumping a bit in surprise as Johnny's voice interrupted them.

He was standing next to them, a playful smile on his lips, next to Jaehyun who was grinning as well.

" What...since...since when are you there?" asked Mark, still baffled.

" Dude you're literally making out in a public place. And I'm here for long enough". He elbowed Jaehyun and they started re-acting - aka making a parody of - of his and Haechan's conversation, which indeed turned out rather cringey.

Hyuck looked unbothered, though. " That's cute. You guys should be a couple". He smiled at the - now very confused - men before taking Mark's hand and taking him away from the crowd.

He stops eventually, turning back to Mark, looking a bit stunned. " You like me?"

" I thought I made that clear when I had my tongue in your mouth, yes" he said, half-laughing and earning himself a tap on the cheek.

" Well if it's gonna be like that, how about we get away from here so I can show you exactly how flexible I am?"

Mark furrows his brows as it took him a few seconds to understand, but the look on his face when he did was priceless.

" Oh god yes please".

The other only flashed him a smile. " You know Mark, no need to call me god just yet" he says with a wink.

\------------------------------------------

Bonus:

" That's cute. You guys should be a couple". Said Haechan, smiling at the two men who immediatly stopped their act before taking Mark away to god knows where.

They sparred each other a glance. " Be...a couple? Whaaat. I'm not into you" said Johnny.

Jaehyun chuckled, trying to hide his pained expression. " Am I not attractive? " he asked

" Oh no no no, I mean yes yes you are very very attractive but like I wouldn't date you" Johhny answered, fumbling on his words.

" You wouldn't??"

Johhny sent Jaehyun a look, both questioning and daring, muttering his answer under his breath.

" I mean not unless you want to".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> °˖ ✧◝(○ ヮ ○)◜✧˖ ° Wow, you actually reached the end of this fic!
> 
> I'm incredibly grateful for your time and attention, so please let me give you a sincere 'thank you'.
> 
> Please leave me your thoughts on the story!!!
> 
> Have a good day everyone :D

**Author's Note:**

> (*⌒▽⌒*)θ～♪


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